When we hear or speak the word “passion” this time of year most likely we experience a visceral consequence; we feel something powerful and extraordinary, even incredulous, swell from deep within our soul and rise to the surface of our ordinary existence.  The word passion has great implications for Christians.  Holy Mother Church uses the word passion to describe the suffering love that Jesus experienced for each of us.

Passion describes the profound love that Jesus expressed when he was beaten, scourged, mocked, crucified and died.  We use it to explain the intense motivation Jesus felt to lay down his life for the forgiveness of our sins.  Jesus cared passionately about us while he endured these unspeakable crimes against his humanity and his divinity.

The incredible love that Jesus demonstrated throughout his life, in his ministry and especially for us on Good Friday, shows us what it means to have compassion for others.   By his life, passion and death, Jesus teaches us that to have compassion for others means we walk with them in their sufferings.  It is passionate love in the holiest form.  There is no greater love.

Sadly, too often we lack the motivation necessary to respond with passion to the sufferings of others.  We know we should but we don’t.  It isn’t easy for us.  We don’t want to feel bad or experience any pain, physical or emotional.  We invoke all sorts of excuses why we cannot, why we aren’t capable, why there isn’t enough time with all that we have to do in life and relationship. 

Perhaps that’s why we have such a visceral response when we hear the word passion because we also know deep down that we have not yet responded to others as Jesus responded for each of us in laying down his life.

Sacred Scripture reveals Jesus’ passionate love and calls us to see ourselves from deep within in the passion of the people who rejected and denied him but also in those who welcomed him into their lives and relationships unafraid of pain, rejection and suffering.

Compared to the compassion Jesus showed to each of us when he willingly subjected himself to the excruciating pains of his final hours and the pain he experiences when we hurt him still with our sins and debauchery, when we refuse to listen and follow him, when we deny those in need, then walking with others in their sufferings like Jesus seems like a small price for us to pay.

With a realignment of our motivation we can answer Jesus’ call to follow with him and walk with others.  This week re-read the biblical account of the Passion of our Lord with an eye and a heart focused on seeing what Jesus sees, to hear what Jesus hears, to experience what Jesus experiences, to love as Jesus loves each of us, for there is no greater love.

With faith, hope and love,
Father Steven C. Rogers